Generally, a motor-driven compressor is mounted on hybrid automotive vehicles and electric automobiles as part of an air-conditioning apparatus. The motor-driven compressor includes a compression mechanism for compressing fluid and an electric motor for driving the compression mechanism integrated to each other.
For example, a hybrid automotive vehicle employs an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as traveling drive sources, and the internal combustion engine and the electric motor are arranged in an engine room. The hybrid automotive vehicle may employ a layout structure in which the motor-driven compressor is directly fixed to the internal combustion engine. In such a case, the motor-driven compressor is arranged at a position close to a frame or aside member which constitutes part of a body in the engine room.
In contrast, an electric automobile employs a traveling electric motor as the traveling drive source, and the traveling electric motor is arranged in a motor room. The electric automobile may employ a layout structure in which the motor-driven compressor is fixed to a front portion or a side portion of the traveling electric motor. The motor-driven compressor may be arranged on the frame or the side member in the motor room.
Patent publication 1 discloses a motor-driven compressor for a vehicle. In this motor-driven compressor, a compression mechanism and an electric motor are accommodated in a housing. Also, a motor drive circuit for controlling a rotation of the electric motor is disposed out of the housing. A cover for protecting the motor drive circuit from an external force is provided on the outside of the motor drive circuit of the motor-driven compressor. The motor-driven compressor is not susceptible to damage which may impair functions thereof on the motor drive circuit or a high-voltage cable or the like even though the cover is subjected to an external force by a collision by any possibility.
In the same motor-driven compressor, the housing includes a leg portion to be fixed to the vehicle, and a boss portion at a distal end side of the leg portion is provided with a stress concentration portion. Therefore, when the motor-driven compressor is subjected to an external force, the boss portion is ruptured before a root side of the leg portion, so that the leg portion moves integrally with the motor-driven compressor and the motor drive circuit. Accordingly, for example, the leg portion ruptured from the root is prevented from interfering with the motor drive circuit.